One more trip
by Miraya Kia
Summary: What if Jack could have a last trip with the Doctor in TARDIS? Where would he go? Set after Children of Earth, contains the bar scene from the second part of The End of Time (Doctor Who)


So I recently reviewed the Torchwood series and some of my favorite Doctor Who episodes... and didn't like how cruel they've been to Jack in the end. I couldn't fall asleep and kept thinking about how to make him happy, or at least a little. This below is the outcome.

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Torchwood or DW or any of the caracters. (If I did, Ianto would NEVER die and the Doctor wouldn't change)

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Everything was gone for him. He had sacrificed his own grandson, his daughter hated him, his two very good friends were dead just like so many people he knew. And Ianto was dead. He could get through everything but not Ianto. When the Welshman lay dying in his arms with love in his crying eyes, Jack broke and would be broken until he set it right. Whatever could he do? Gwen wanted him to stay but he couldn't look her in the eyes. Owen, Toshiko, Suzie, Stephen, Ianto... How many people did he have to kill by just meeting them? He didn't want to add Gwen and Rhys to the list so he ran away. He'd always run away, the coward he was. But being a coward was sometimes the best you could do, a very good friend had taught him that.

As he sat at the alien-crowded bar, drowning his sorrow and self-pity in alcohol he didn't know, the bartender pushed a note his way. He gave it a confused look. "From the guy over there," the bartender replied, pointing lazily over his shoulder and going on with his work.

Jack's eyes widened at the man in suit and a brown overcoat giving him the not-really-a-salute he always did. He pushed from the bar, the note falling on the floor forgotten. He crossed the bar in quick strides, catching the young man in surprise. He held his shoulders, holding the other's sad eyes. "Doctor, please, let me go with you," he begged, his voice nowhere near its usual strength. The Time Lord shook his head simply and now he noticed the light golden glow of his hands. Jack winced and was ready to beg on his knees. "Just one more trip, please." Tears were stinging in his eyes and he blinked them away, but he couldn't rid his voice of them. "I have to save him."

Doctor couldn't say no, not when his great friend was begging in such heartbroken voice and crying. In TARDIS again with Captain Jack Harkness, how nostalgic. A surge of pain flashed through his whole body and he fought a cry. Instead he leaned over the TARDIS's controls and breathed heavily. "Where to, Jack?" he asked, a failed attempt on his usual enthusiastic voice. That didn't matter much now, seeing as both of them were at the end of their strength and were breaking apart. The Doctor, sadly, was breaking apart literally. The reply came only in a whisper but he still heard. A simple "Why?" slipped his mouth while he was already programing his faithful ship. One more trip, and Jack better make it worth it.

Jack, sitting slumped on the battered old sofa, put his head in his hands and fisted his hair. "If I," he started and rubbed his eyes, taking a shaky breath. "If I do this, he won't die."

"But will never know you."

The Captain chuckled and looked up to the other man. "I don't care," he retorted and shook his head, smiling after a very long time. "He knew me once and it killed him. He's much better off with Lisa."

The TARDIS was parked far enough from Canary Wharf in London so the Torchwood wouldn't notice and they said their goodbyes. Being wished good luck, Captain Jack Harkness stepped out of the time-and-space traveling spaceship and watched it disappear. He knew damn well this was the last time he'd see the Doctor, or this version of him at least. It also meant he'd have to live a lot of years once again. But once you change one thing, a chain of events follows and so his future might be a little different.

He took a stroll to the Torchwood 1 base and hung around, carefully watching every person that exited it. Many people came in and out but not the one he wanted. After what seemed like ages the front door opened and a couple left the building. She wore a skirt and a shirt, he had jeans and a t-shirt. They were holding hands, smiling, in love. Jack's heart danced at the sight of his beloved's bright smile. He'd never forget it but memories can't compete with the real thing. At the same time he hurt over the scene, Ianto Jones being with someone other than him. Still... better alive and with her, than dead.

Jack waited until the happily chatting couple walked two streets from their workplace and approached them. He was a stranger and called them their names, they watched him cautiously. Tears welled up in his eyes when the young man looked at him quizzically with those eyes he loved so much. "I know you work for Torchwood and nothing is crazy enough for you," he spoke and they exchanged confused looks. God, he wanted to hug Ianto and kiss him breathless. But he couldn't, not in this life. His memories had to be enough this time. He set them with a firm gaze of his eyes so they'd take him seriously. "You have to quit. Leave Torchwood and do something else, anything."

Lisa opened her mouth to protest but he didn't let her. "I know that'd be hard, but you just have to," he pressed and this time locked eyes with just the man who, in another life, was the love of his torturingly long life. Jack made a step closer and was happy the other man didn't recoil in the least. "Please, Ianto. Working for Torchwood will destroy your life. Trust me, and walk away when you still can."

This time it was the Welshman who cut the woman's complaints off saying "Be quiet, Lisa" simply. He was intrigued by the stranger. The way the man in the army coat looked at him, the regret and pain... and love. "Who are you?" He would do as the stranger advised, he's been thinking about leaving Torchwood for a while now. What they were doing, the Ghost Shifts and lots more projects, seemed just too wrong to him. Maybe he could take Lisa and move to Cardiff, look for a new job. Or travel, she's always wanted to travel around the world and the Torchwood institute paid well. They could do that. But he wanted, _needed_ to know who that man was.

In response, the stranger just smiled sadly and looked into his eyes deeply once more. "Rhywun sy'n gofalu, cariad," Jack whispered, turned around and left quickly.

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_Rhywun sy'n gofalu, cariad_ - Someone who cares, love. (Or at least that's what the translator said :D) Suppose that Lisa doesn't understand Welsh.

So I hope it wasn't too depressive or anything. It's as close to a happy ending as I thought Jack could get if I didn't rewrite every single thing about both the series.

***Thanks for reading, everyone!***


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